


The Power of the Diary

by Dramione84



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-28 00:02:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8422906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dramione84/pseuds/Dramione84
Summary: An accident in the library sends Draco and Hermione into the past. What is it with Malfoy's and their penchant for Dark Art Diaries?!





	1. Chapter 1

The flash of light was almost blinding, and they found themselves being thrown back by a force so powerful there was no way to ensure a stable landing. It was like taking a portkey for the first time.

She turned her unwitting travel partner with a look of sheer incredulity

"Seriously?!" she hissed "What is it with you Malfoy's and diaries?!"

Malfoy glared at her, as he got up from the floor, no intention of helping her to her feet.

"Do not even THINK of blaming me for this. It is not my fault you do not look where you are going when you have your nose so far into a book" he retorted looking around the room

"Where even are we?" he asked, trying to pick out something familiar about their new surroundings. There was something oddly familiar about their new location and yet disturbingly different.

He turned around to face Hermione who was now standing behind him, her arms folded, a deep furrow marring her brow.

"If you hadn't noticed, this is the Head Boy and Head Girls common room" she huffed, then her eyes narrowed as she looked around the room "although….." she began…"its strange… I don't recall it being quite like….." her gaze drifted around as she turned in a slow almost pirouette.

He found her demeanor oddly titillating in an unsettling way. Studying her features as she processed her surroundings was fascinating him and that unnerved him.

"It's almost like…"she whispered. "NO! It can't be!"

"SPIT IT OUT GRANGER!" he exclaimed, growing impatient with her half-expressed stream of conciousness.

"I was just thinking, _Malfoy_ , that it looked remarkably like a picture I have seen in…"

"Let me guess, 'Hogwarts, a History" his sarcasm dripping from every word as he smirked at her "do you actually read anything else?" he drawled.

"Considering I was reading 'Potions: A Guide Beyond NEWT Studies' I would think so, git!" she spat, growling in frustration "however it just so happens that YES I was thinking of 'Hogwarts, a History' if you must know!

"Well that's not bloody likely is it" Malfoy continued, his face now inches from hers

"Given your families penchant for sending people back into the past with Dark Diaries" she stated, grabbing the open book from the floor and thrusting it into his hands

"I would say ANYTHING is possible"

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, the adrenaline from their bickering coursing through her veins as she glared at him, daring him to deny her challenge.

He had no retort. He just glared back at her, his smirk fixed on his face, determined to win this mental battle. The arousal he felt when they sparred like this was a familiar yet disconcerting feeling. He enjoyed it in an odd sort of way yet he hated his conscious awareness of it.

The silence between them had drawn out far too long he considered, as he watched her delicate hand brush a loose curl away from her eyes in frustration. They were sizing each other up, looking for a weakness in the other and he thought he had a momentary glimpse of hers fleeting across her warm hazel eyes.

A noise behind them broke their reverie and they turned to see a laughing young couple come through the portrait hole. Malfoy stared at the pair who were smiling and laughing at a shared joke, their hands intertwined, an apparent intimacy shared between them. He had no clue who this young woman with auburn locks and shining green eyes, nor her bespeckled beau. Something about the two was oddly familiar to him however. Malfoy turned to Hermione curious as to why the pair seemed completely unaware of their presence inside their common room. He was perplexed to see her mouth agape in startled look of recognition, his eyes widening as she gasped

"That's Lily and James Potter"


	2. Chapter 2

"So they are the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Piss-Me-Off's parents yes?" Malfoy asked his hand going to Hermione's chin, to close her open mouth.

"Not very lady-like Granger" he smirked as she glared at him, slapping his hand away

"Care to explain what is going on? And exactly why do they seem unaware of our presence?" he continued, hoping she would give him some sort of explanation before the throbbing in his temple turned into a piercing migraine.

"Well, it looks like that blasted diary has sent us back to their era and they can't hear us because it's all like dream. Harry explained to us after Riddle's diary sent him back in second year that the events have already happened so it's like watching a dream. They can't see or hear us because technically we are not here"

No, the throbbing was only getting worse.

"And exactly why? And how do we get back? I'd rather not be stuck in the past with Little Miss Bookworm" he sneered at her and she glared back at him

"It's hardly a thrilling prospect for me to be stuck in the past with the Amazing Bouncing Ferret!" she returned, her cheeks flushing with rage.

He turned away. Something about the way she flushed that shade of crimson made him picture hazy images of crisp white sheets and a naked curly haired girl with her head thrown back and gasps of passion.

He shook his head in an attempt to dispel the images that were coming thick and fast in his head and causing a slight throb in somewhere other than his temple.

"I have no idea why this particular timeline but just shut up and watch it like a movie…"

"What's a movie?" his brow furrowed in confusion

"Never mind" she sighed "it's a muggle thing so you wouldn't understand"

"Too right" he muttered as she sent a fierce look his way, barging past him to follow Lily and James deeper into their common room. They were snuggled in a love seat in the corner.

"So what now then, Granger?" he asked, stepping up behind her, a little closer than necessary, his nose almost pressed into her curls. He tried, and failed, to repress the urge to breathe in her scent. He closed his eyes and inhaled the intoxicating aroma of oranges and cinnamon. He knew on a rational level he shouldn't be giving in to base desires, but in such close proximity, with her completely unaware, he was fighting a losing battle to maintain composure.

"Well we just have to let it run its course. We cannot interact with the people we see, and we are only able to watch what unfolds; we cannot do anything else" she whispered, transfixed on the private moment of intimacy she was watching unfold. It was fascinating

The pair were in a lip-locked embrace, full of tenderness and a charming sense of passion. They were clearly in love, but in a traditional romantic kind of way, there was warmth in their eyes not lusty heat. It was certainly a wonder to behold and Hermione felt less voyeur and more a sense of privilege to witness such emotion.

Hermione was now aware of Draco's proximity, his nose close to her ear, but it didn't startle her, and on some level she was vaguely aware that this in itself should concern her, but she was also away of some vague sense of acceptance of his presence within her personal space. She couldn't deny a certain level of attraction to her verbal sparring partner and she was aware of a sexual spark that would ignite in her when he really got her temper flaring. But this… this was different. She almost felt a sense of mirroring what she was watching and she secretly wondered what that muggle saying was about art imitating life.

Before she could question it further her musing was interrupted by a loud noise coming from the direction of the portrait hole

"Prongs! Prongs! Get out here!"

A knowing smile graced her lips and confusion was etched on the face of Draco as she shoved him to one side, the young lovers scurrying from their corner, heading in the direction of the call. That voice, Hermione thought with bittersweet glee, was unmistakable.

"What is it Padfoot?" James jovially replied, stepping out into the hallway to greet his partner in crime and all things deliciously devious.

"Did we disturb you lovebirds?" he grinned, winking at Lily who playfully punched him on the arm. "Moony and I were thinking of taking a stroll down into the grounds, see what fun there is to be had" he continued his playful banter "unless you two had _other_ plans"

Remus rolled his eyes and shuffled his feet. Lily slipped an arm through his and gave his bicep a gentle squeeze.

"Come on then boys, I guess we can study a bit later" she said grinning at her companions, her eyes shining brightly as she revealed in their banter. There was no denying the closeness that the group had and Lily was clearly the center of it, and Hermione thought of Harry and Ron and the closeness they shared.

The foursome started down the hall and Hermione and Draco made to follow, but were stopped in their tracks as a coldness past through them, eerily reminiscent of the feeling experienced when the evanescence of one of the House ghosts, or Moaning Myrtle in a fit of rage, melted through them, and both were startled to see Peter Pettigrew loping behind them. Hermione found herself remembering Harry's retelling of the conversation between Fudge and Madam Rosmerta and her description of how Pettigrew would always be trailing behind Sirius.

Draco's steely gaze of confusion met her chocolate hazel eyes and she only needed one word to convey meaning

"Wormtail" she muttered.

His curt nod confirmed his understanding and they made down the hallway after the group.


	3. Chapter 3

The change in light from the barely-lit corridors of the castle to the blazing midday sun, in what Hermione assumed, as she took in the surroundings quickly calculating in that constant-overdrive mind of hers, to be about mid May was almost as blinding as the light that had propelled them to the moment in time they were now stuck in. For a moment, Hermione had dared to hope that the diary had activated once more in order to send them back, however her perceptive mind had already skilfully surmised that a series of events would have to play out before they would return. Just _what_ those events would be she had yet to fathom.

Malfoy was skulking behind her, and she turned to urge him on.

"We are bound to these moments, you really have got to keep up" she huffed, grabbing hold of his sleeve. He yanked his arm away and she glared up at him, angered at the display of repulsion that, while characteristic of his behaviour towards her, she resented more each time she witnessed in their interactions.

Turning from him and picking up her own pace, she missed the momentary guilt that fluttered across his face, as his normally stoic features betrayed his hidden emotions. He knew how she had taken the gesture. Years of torment fuelled by the way he knew he was supposed to behave towards her for the sake of keeping up appearances combined with his own need to mask what he tried, often in vain, to suppress for his own sanity, biased her perception of his actions whenever they interacted. Why should here be any different?

Half way down the grassy embankment, she turned again, and glowered fiercely at him

"Come on!" she huffed, bounding after the laughing group as they made their way down towards the lake. Picking up his pace to a jog, he followed suit and smirked as he passed her

"Race you then Granger!" he called as she rolled her eyes at his back. She was looking at her feet, carefully picking out each step so as not not stumble as the slope increased. So focused was she on her own descent that she failed to notice Malfoy had come to a halt, crashing into him with enough force to make the taller boy stumble his step but she being shorter, faltered all the more and landed in a heap at his feet. A scowl across his face, he looked down her and she glared at his expression. Realising she had misconstrued the reason for his expression, he reached down to silence her as she opened her mouth in readiness, a verbal reprimand of his affectation already formulated.

With one hand gently pressed to her cherry lips, and the another reaching for her delicate hand, he righted her in one swift motion and pressing her back to his chest, forcing her to witness the true reason for his abrupt halt at the shore of the lake and the scowl she had seen marring his features. He closed his eyes and once more breathed in her heady scent as she watched the exchange between the group of boys, Lily a few paces back with short stocky boy who tagged along behind them, and the young boy with greasy black hair sat reading a book under the tree.

While she watched in angry silence, he allowed his mind to drift, suppressing a rage he knew he couldn't act on. He thought of the girl, who he clutched by her small biceps to his chest and thought back to the earlier exchange between Lily and James and a small part of him craved that intimacy with Granger. He didn't want to admit it, but here, stuck in this bubble, who would know if he gave in?


	4. Chapter 4

The greasy haired boy gave James Potter a withering look and closed his book, sighing.

"What do you want" he sneered.

James drew his wand stepping closer to the greasy haired boy as Sirius joined him in his taunts, a smirk forming on his features as he revealed in his malice.

Lily, off to one side, looked singularly unimpressed.

She called to James, asking him to stop, but her beau was clearly enjoying himself a little too much.

Sensing this was going to escalate rapidly, Remus tried to pull the young wizard back.

"Let's have some fun first eh?" cried James, roughly snatching his arm from his more diplomatic friend. Remus threw his hands up in defeat, turning and strolling back to where Lily and Peter stood closer to the shore of the lake.

"Not so clever now are we Snivellus?!" joined Sirius as James non-verbally cast a hover charm on the greasy haired boy, lifting him up in to the air as though he were nothing more than a first-year.

"James!" Lily remonstrated, stepping closer to him, unsure what to do.

"How about we take off his trousers?!" James called to the other boys.

"JAMES!" Lily cried, tears pricking in the corners of her eyes. After all that had happened, after all the things he had said, after all that had past between them over the last 6 years, she still cared. Her green eyes shone with fury, tinged with sadness and laced with compassion.

Her lover spun round to confront her, his focus on the spell ceasing, the greasy haired boy landing unceremoniously in a heap on top of his books that were spread out under the tree.

"You aren't seriously going to defend him AGAIN are you Lily?" James hissed, his brow creased with a confused frown.

Lily came up to him and placed her hand on his wrist, her fingers gently curling round it, her eyes silently begging him to cease his taunts of her former childhood friend.

"After he called you that word?" he continued, staring back at her.

She closed the gap between them, her slight body curling into his.

"That was a long time ago, James" she whispered, gently putting pressure on his wrist.

He lowered his wand, wrapping his arm around her, his free hand coming up to stroke her cheek, brushing her auburn locks away from her eyes. She looked up at him through her long lashes.

Pressing his lips to her temple, he murmured in her ear

"You are far too forgiving, Lil'"

She let out a low chuckle, audible only to him.

"Far too forgiving of you, you mean" she pulled back and sent him a sidelong grin, the sort of secret smile a passive observer would sense she only shared with him.

Along the shore stood two such passive observers, both transfixed on the exchange between the group and the greasy haired boy.

Draco relaxed his grip on the arms of the petite witch he held.

"I knew he got his arrogance from his father" he muttered, averting his gaze in disgust.

"You could be considered guilty of the same crime, Malfoy" Hermione hissed, turning to confront him.

"Don't speak of things you have no comprehension of, Granger" he retorted, his features twisting into his classic sneer.

"Oh spare me the sanctimonious bullshit" she cried, turning back towards the scene.

Lily had laced her arm through Remus' and the pair were idly walking along the pebbled shoreline.

Draco reached out and took hold of the fiery-tempered witch's honey kissed forearm and spun her back to face him, leaning down until his nose was almost touching hers.

"When you have been raised since birth to believe only one thing, to perceive the world from a single point of view, knowing you have no choice, no matter _what you_ may come to believe, no matter _what_ challenges your indoctrination, because you have generations of family expectations shoved down your throat, and a position in society to uphold, THAT is when you can judge me, Granger. I'm like my father because that's who I was made to be" he growled.

She snatched her arm from his grasp and narrowed her eyes as if carefully calculating her response.

She had nothing.

Her mind was blank.

She hated it when their interactions reached a climax and then…..zap.

She was nothing more than the sum of her emotions, her logical calculating mind eluding her. It was like being an infant and reaching the point of emotional no return, witnessing what she later came to know was an outburst of magic and then...numbness.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were darkened, her chest rising and falling rapidly in time with the beats of her heart, adrenaline coursing through her veins but her mind betrayed all physiology.

She had no comeback.

Stepping back slowly, she watched his eyes fall to her chest, his features relaxing from his sinister sneer into a folorn frown. He turned and stared at Lily and Remus as they settled into the long grass just back from the shoreline. Sirius and James were bundling about a little way back, Peter's lopsided grin directed at his mates as they fell about around him.

Up ahead, the greasy haired boy made his way up the path towards the Castle. He stopped for a moment, turned towards where Lily and Remus sat in quiet conversation and stared. Even from where Draco stood he recognised the look that betrayed the greasy haired boy's emotions and knew they matched his own.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione continued to scowl at him for a moment before shoving past him, her gaze fixed on Lily and Remus who sat in the long grass in companionable silence.

Lily played with a piece of grass idly as Remus reached into his robe and pulled out a book.

"Crime and Punishment" she read the title off the cover. "Interesting choice of muggle literature there Remus" she whispered, giving him an knowing look.

He gave her an amused sidelong glance before returning his attention to the book.

Leaning forward to look past her friend, she rolled her eyes as she watched the playful banter of James and Sirius as they boxed each other's ears.

"Boys" she chuckled, before lying back in the grass, staring up at the cloudless Scottish sky.

She closed her eyes and soaked up the sun.

Sensing the shadow that fell over her, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see Peter and not James standing over her.

"Hey Lil'" he said, smiling shyly at her.

"Hey Peter" she replied, a broad grin across her face. "Sit down! You're blocking the sun!" she said, pulling gently at his robe.

Crossing his legs under him, he sat down with his friends and took in the view across the lake sighing.

Draco watched as the greasy haired boy slowly made his way back up to the Castle. He knew who the boy was, and he noted with a sense of irony that seemingly nothing changed. He was destined to be a loner but now Draco felt a sense of understanding as to why that was. He had always held a certain level of bitter resentment towards Saint Potter; having witnessed the treatment of his mentor by the elder Potter as they watched the events play out. Now his feelings were magnified and he wasn't sure how to suppress the emotions he felt.

Catching up to Hermione, who was now a little ahead on the shoreline, he put a hand gently on her shoulder. She shrugged off his touch.

"It's hard you know, not seeing the man in the boy...or the boy in the man…" confusion was evident across his face. "I'm not quite sure how to explain it, this time-travel stuff is hurting my brain. I'm confused. This is the past, we're from the future, but for us right now this is the present…" she turned to him, her eyes widening as she tried to process his ramblings.

"I can't even work out what you're on about Malfoy, so if that's the sort of muddled incoherent cerebration that passes for whatever it is that goes on in your head, no wonder you're confused" she smirked.

He wasn't sure if she was insulting him at first and his face started to contort into a sneer as he formulated a response, but seeing the amusement flash in her eyes, he softened his features into a look to match hers.

She turned back to the little group in front of her and watched as James and Sirius, tired from their play-scuffling approached the three who were huddled in hushed conversation. Sirius playfully cuffed Peter's ears before slouching down on his side to face the amiable clique.

Lily was now perusing the cover of Remus' book and James approached her, pulling her auburn locks away from her right shoulder to give her a kiss. She moved away mockingly, keeping her attention fixed on the critique that she was reading. James decided to play at her own game of mock ignorance, and settled himself behind her, his back pressed to hers, facing the opposite direction. Remus leaned back to throw James a questioning look, wondering what his friend was playing at. James just grinned, pulled a book out of his robe, and lifted it up in answer. Remus shook his head, grinning back before righting his posture.

Behind Hermione, Draco stood watching the little production over her head. He idly picked up a curl and twirled it in his fingers, hoping she didn't notice the action. Her hair was soft from her conditioner and felt like liquid gold in his fingers.

He idly thought he could play with her hair endlessly.


	6. Chapter 6

Clouds drifted across the sky and the temperature plummeted in a way that only happened in Scotland. The little clique sat idly chatting in the grass. Lazily they got to their feet, collecting the robes they had discarded in the earlier warmth and picked their way towards the shoreline so they could retrace the pathway back up to the Castle.

Hermione shuddered at the sudden breeze and turned to Malfoy.

"Come on" she said quietly, before following the little group towards where the path from the hill met the pebbles of the shore.

Malfoy looked at the sky and took a deep breath. Years living here and the patient observation honed from many a night spent in quiet solitude up on the Astronomy Tower had taught him much about the unique way the weather behaved here.

Breathing in, he called to Hermione that it was about to rain. He knew it was from the way the wind carried a damp musty smell with it.

"Well come on then" she called as she picked her way up the path.

Suddenly there was an almighty crash of thunder.

Startled, Hermione yelped, jumping a little, losing her footing, bruising her ankle.

Malfoy rushed to her and in one swift motion scooped her up.

Nose to nose, she saw the concern on his face before he masked it with a silent, frustrated frown.

Neither said a word.

The heavens then opened and a light pitter patter could be heard on the leaves of the trees on the edge of the forbidden forest.

Hermione got to her feet and the pair of unwitting time-travel companions made their way hurriedly to the Castle.

The light pitter patter became a heavy staccato as the rain thumped down on the little tin chimney of Hagrid's hut.

Malfoy tore off his robe and held it over their heads as a make-shift covering in an attempt to shield them from the rain as they broke into a run.

When they reached the covered cloisters of the courtyard, they saw that the group they stalked where huddled indecisively against the wall, Sirius leaning out through one of the archways, James checking Lily wasn't too cold.

Hermione gave another shudder and brought her arms up across her chest. They were both drenched, she more so because she was without a jumper. Her sodden curls dampened to her forehead and he noted before averting his gaze, that her crisp white school shirt had become translucent, sticking itself to curves he didn't even know she had. Her cheeks were rosy red from exertion, her breathing rapid. They were inches apart, hearts racing, struggling to get their breath back, eyes locked in each others' heady gaze.

She leant against the wall and closed her eyes.

She looked positively captivating, he thought.

Silently he took a step closer to her and, feeling his proximity, her eyes snapped open.

Neither spoke as he lifted the damp curls from her forehead, his hand coming to rest on the side of her head as he looked down on her.

Confused by the emotion, Hermione stared for a moment, before pushing herself away from the wall.

She turned and saw the group ambling up the cloister.

"Come on" she whispered, her voice hoarse.

The group split in the corridor just after the Great Hall as Lily and James made their way to their private common room, Hermione and Malfoy following behind.

Settling themselves on the couch, they warmed themselves as best they could. Each bitterly thought they could use a wand right about now but these had been left with their things in the library of their own time. She hadn't expected to need hers as she pulled great tomes from the shelves and carried them back to her study desk, and he had just been too lazy, leaving his own in the leather satchel at his feet as he sat waiting for his minions, Crabbe and Goyle, to return with the book he sent them to fetch. He had grown impatient when they hadn't returned and had snatched it up for himself, turning on his heel and colliding with the frizzy haired witch. Now both rued their own tardiness.

Hermione sat shivering, her hands reaching out towards the flames.

"You should get out of that shirt" Malfoy said, gesturing to the saturated garment.

Her eyes narrowed as she threw him a sidelong look of contempt.

"I am not taking off my clothes for you, Malfoy!" she hissed.

He smirked at his own faux pas.

"I only meant for the sake of your health, Granger!" he replied, chuckling. "Here" he muttered, grabbing the hem of his school jumper and pulling it off over his head, his untucked shirt riding up and exposing taut stomach muscles and the distinct V of his lower abs. She sucked in a breath, blushing furiously, unable to avert her gaze. The shirt dropped back down and her vision clouded over with a deep slate grey. It was a moment or two before her brain registered that he had thrust his jumper in front of her face.

He smirked at her, knowing full well that she had been admiring the glimpse he had deliberately given her of his sculpted torso.

Knowing she had little option, she took the jumper he proffered her and stood, waiting for him to turn around to afford her a modicum of privacy.

The smirk appeared to be ingrained on his face as he turned to face the other way.

Slowly she turned so they had their backs to one another and began peeling the drenched shirt from her body. Draco turned a little to glance over his shoulder, glimpsing her slick flesh as she dropped the shirt to the floor. He had assumed the dark shadow of her bra under the wet shirt had been black. Now, even in the low light provided by glow of the common room fire, he was able to see his mistake from the small amount of fabric exposed to his stares.

It was unmistakable and it shocked him as much as it thrilled him.

Her bra was Emerald green.


	7. Chapter 7

Sitting on the little couch they warmed themselves in silence, watching the flames dance in the fireplace. Hearing Lily come out of her room, they turned and watched her walk to James' door and knock

"Have you got everything James?" she called through his bedroom door.

"Relax" James replied, opening the door and casually leaning against the frame.

Lily sighed. "We need to go study. We have that potions essay to do and the arthrimancy one aswell" she insisted.

James pulled out a piece of parchment and tapped it with his wand.

"Mischief managed" he muttered, staring at it intently.

Over on the couch, Draco pulled Hermione's hair away from her ear "Think you have a kindred spirit there" he whispered, his lips ever so slightly grazing her her earlobe causing her to shudder involuntarily.

"Funny, Malfoy" she responded, trying to suppress the little tingle that was currently working its way around her body into places she didn't even know existed.

"Ah, there they are" James cried before pocketing the parchment "You go on ahead Lil', me and the boys have some stuff to take care of first" he told her, planting a chaste kiss on her lips. Lily huffed in annoyance.

"We need to study!" she complained.

James just grinned.

"FINE!" she huffed, before grabbing her bag and books and heading for the portrait hole.

Hermione grabbed Draco's arm. "Come on then!" she cried.

Draco wore an amused grin on his face. "Typical! You hear study and you smell library and off you go!" he laughed as a scowl played out across her features.

"It has nothing to do with that! You know we have to stay with what we are being show!" she cried. "Although...while we are there we should see if we can find out what kind of magic is in that diary and how we get back"

Draco ceased laughing and creased his forehead. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to go back. Here was easier. He didn't have his father breathing down his neck, and he could indulge in his heart's desires.

.

Draco slouched in one of the chairs, watching Hermione as she meandered through the rows, fingertips lightly brushing the books as she searched through the titles. She bit her bottom lip, narrowed her eyes in thought, and pulled a great tome from the shelves. Plonking it down on the desk she dropped into the chair next to Draco, her arm bumping his. He involuntarily flinched and she scowled at him before opening the text. Settling back to his initial position, he watched as she ran her finger down the index. His arm came to rest next to hers and a tingle passed through him every time her arm brushed his. Seemingly not noticing, she turned the pages over, scanning the text, absorbing all the information.

"You know you could help" she sighed, turning over a page, her eyes never leaving the page.

Draco scowled. "The library is more your domain, Granger" he drawled.

She worked through the pages silently as Draco fidgeted. He shifted in his chair from time to time as she turned over the pages, making her way systematically through the text. Occasionally he would huff and sigh but she didn't react. He even whistled to himself at one point and every now and then Hermione caught him staring at her out of the corner of her eye before he shifted his gaze, blushing slightly, knowing he had been caught.

Finally with a huff he turned to her and opened his mouth to speak.

"Dark Arts section, shelf four" she interrupted before he could utter a single word, her eyes still scanning the text.

He glared, considered a retort, changed his mind and then huffed as he shoved his chair back, the legs scrapping the flagstone flooring.

A small smile played across her lips.

"Predictable as always" she thought.


	8. Chapter 8

Ron burst through the portrait hole and searched about the room with his eyes. Frowning, he rushed over to where Harry was sat, working on the corrections Hermione had given him of his potions assignment.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked Harry, eyes darting about the room.

Harry looked up. "She said she was going to the library" he told him.

Ron's face fell. "I have just come from there!" he huffed.

Harry stood, gathering his things. "We had better check then" he said, giving Ron a knowing look. The two boy hurried to their dormitory. Harry retrieved his Father's map and opened it.

"See! She's in the library" Harry said, looking at Ron.

Ron looked closer at the map and scowled. "Wait a minute, look!" he pointed, his cheeks flushing crimson with rage.

They watched as Draco Malfoy appeared on the map to be near Hermione. They two wizards exchanged a look and hoped Hermione was currently hexing the shit out of Malfoy. Then suddenly, the two names vanished. Ron blanched.

"Where did they go?" Harry cried. They shared a look and dashed out of the room, heading for the library as fast as they could.

Searching the library, they failed to find either their best friend or their nemesis as they checked the stacks. Scratching their heads, and frantic with worry, they reached the desks and sat down to think.

"I don't understand. Hermione cannot have just disappeared into thin air" Harry stated, running his hands through his hair.

"I bet Malfoy is to blame for this" Ron spat, kicking out at the table.

He was shocked to find his foot connect with something soft and ducked his head under the table to see what it was. Screwing his face up, he brought the item up and slammed it on the table.

Recognising the item Harry's eyes grew wide with amazement. "That's Malfoy's bag!" he cried. They set about searching the desks for other clues. Suddenly Harry cried out "Ron! Get over here, Ron!" and Ron hustled over.

"This is Hermione's stuff. Look. Her quill, her books, her bag on the floor. And, oh dear…" Harry trailed off.

"WHAT?!" Cried Ron, desperation permeating his broken voice.

"She's left her wand behind" Harry whispered.

Clutching her items and dragging his bag along, the two raced along the corridors to Dumbledore's office.

Harry had stopped by yesterday at his headmaster's request and hoped the password had not changed since then.

"Sherbert Lemon" he told the statue who let the pair past.

They raced up the steps, barely knocking before crashing into the room.

"Ah, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley. How are we today?" the old man drawled.

Harry was the first to speak "Professor Dumbledore, sir, its Hermione! She has been kidnapped!" he stated.

"And it was Malfoy" spat Ron.

Dumbledore asked them for their evidence and they relayed the story.

The old man postulated all that had been revealed while sat quietly, leant back into the chair, hands clasped together.

Eventually, he dismissed Harry and Ron, asking them to return to the Tower and to leave it with him. The shocked wizards were visibly distressed by this, however aquiest to the request, mainly because Harry trusted Dumbledore implicitly. Catching the twinkle in his eye, Harry privately wondered if he knew more than he let on.

Opening his desk draw as the two wizards made their way back to the common room, the old professor rummaged around until he located what he was looking for and placed it on the desk as he shut the little draw.

He grabbed and quill and opened the book. On one page, smiling as his eyes twinkled, he wrote

"amicis factus amatores"


	9. Chapter 9

She flicked the page over, her eyes screwed up in thought, as she continued to read. Next to her Draco huffed, turning over the page in his book and scowled. Watching him out of the corner of her eye, she tutted and then continued to read. She had brought the diary with her to the library and it sat on the desk in front of them. Reaching for it, she flipped the pages over, turning it over in her hands, carefully scruitinising it.

"What are you looking for?" muttered Draco, his eyes not leaving the page.

"Any markings or clues that might help us narrow down our search. All the dark spells in this book involve some kind of mark being somewhere on the book but it's completely clean!" she exclaimed, huffing in frustration and she placed the book down and closed the tome she had been pouring over.

"Why are you assuming it is dark magic?" Draco drawled, turning over the next page.

Hermione glowered at him "because we ended up here after you bumped into me and it wouldn't be the first time a Malfoy used slight of hand and dark magic to send someone somewhere with a diary!" she hissed, her cheeks flushing.

Draco placed the book on the table calmly and turned to her "except I had not seen that book before in my life, and you knocked into me!" he told her firmly, his steely gaze fixed on her warm hazel orbs.

"Then how to YOU explain how we got here then? Because if you are suggesting that I…." she started, her voice raised as she started her ranting but then silenced as she noticed the book start to glow.

"What on earth…." she quietly exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock.

The book flipped open and they leaned in to look at it.

Suddenly, in an elegant scrawl, words began to form on the page.

"amicis factus amatores" Hermione read aloud as the words took shape.

She shared a look of confusion with Draco.

"Charming spell, if I do say so myself, they key to which will open the door to your journey home" Draco read.

"Well! No wonder I haven't found it!" Hermione cried, pushing her chair back and racing off to the stacks. Draco watched her run off, completely perplexed.

A few moments later, Hermione returned and dropped a hefty tome on the table, the dust causing Draco to cough as it rose in clouds.

Draco read the title of the book out loud "Complex Charms in Time and Relative Dimension in Space" he looked up at her expectantly.

"Third year McGonagal gave me a time turner. She explained that there were rules I had to follow and the nature of unchangeable events- fixed points- she said everything I needed to know would be in this book. I dont know why I didnt think of it sooner!" she rambled, flipping over the pages. "Most of the book is about these rules, but there are charms in here that deal with fixed points and how to stop them forming. If you go back far enough you can alter fixed points but the window is very small" she continued, her finger scanning over the page as she quickly read "AH! Here it is!" she exclaimed, turning the book to Draco.

"amicis factus amatores" he read "Enemies become...lovers?!" he turned to her, his face contorted with confusion and amazement. Hermione's eyes widened.

"Lovers?" he scoffed.

Hermione scowled. "Hardly an entertaining prospect for me either Malfoy!" she hissed, turning the book back to read on. Her eyes narrowed.

"It says the spell is a charm for stopping a fixed point from forming. That the fixed point will be a life altering event, something that would rip the soul apart. Well the only thing that I can think of that rips the soul apart is murder. And I'm not about to murder anyone. And for all your faults, I hardly think you are going to murder someone, are you?" she rambled, turning to Draco. She watched his complexion turn a deathly, almost translucent as all life drained from his eyes, blood draining from his face.

Her stomach knotted at the realisation.

"Who?!" she whispered, her eyes wide with fear.

"Dumbledore"

.


	10. Chapter 10

Her eyes narrowed.

"What do u mean, you're going to murder Dumbledore?" she hissed, grabbing hold of his arms.

He looked away from her, his face contorting with pain, the anguish etched on his face.

"I've been ordered to murder Dumbledore" he whispered, despair heavy in his voice.

Hermione was horrified. "There is absolutely NO WAY that I am going to sit back and allow you to do this, how can you want to kill him?" she cried, shaking him violently.

He grabbed hold of her upper arms "I don't want to do it, how can you even… You have no idea….If I don't HE is going to kill me!" tears streamed freely down his face. She had never seen him so broken.

"Who?" her voice broke as she tried in vain to hold back her own tears.

"The Dark Lord" he rasped out, dropping his head.

"Draco, we can protect you, the Order can protect you" Hermione whispered, pulling him into her arms, resting his head on her shoulder as his body racked with sobs.

.

Snape sidled up to Lily, placing his books down next to her carefully. Lily glanced at the books then slowly lifted her eyes up to her former friend. She hadn't noticed him come into the library and his presence next to her was a little unnerving.

"Lily, I am...not very good at this" he began, twisting his hands nervously. Lily wasn't used to seeing him so nervous. It was unsettling. Her green eyes fixed on him as she pursed her lips. The action making her think of her sister, she immediately relaxed her lips but the rest of her features remained unmoved.

"I am sorry. For the transgressions that I have committed. For the pain. That I have caused. For the friendship I threw away"

"Forgiveness is freely given only when it is earned, Severus. I wont be able to forget, but I may be able to forgive" she quietly told him, before turning her attention back to her books.

Snape stared at her, uncertain as to how he should proceed. He opened his mouth, but seeing James slaunter in, he glided away before James could notice him.

Lily looked up, sensing his approach and beamed at him. He dropped into the chair beside her, his satchel slung down next to him. "Any chance you could take a look at my essay?" he grinned. Lily rolled her eyes, and without a word, held her hand out for it.

.

Hermione and Draco watched the exchange before realising they were still clinging on to each other. Draco felt his pulse quicken as his hands began to tingle, his insides churning, his body betraying him. Hermione flushed and looked away, slowly relaxing her grip on his shirt. Her own was now soaked with his tears. Draco rubbed his face with the back of his hand, grinding away his tears.

"I promise, the Order will protect you. I will make sure of it" she whispered, cupping his cheek. Draco only nodded in response.

"Why do you think the charm brought us to here?" he asked her, turning their attention back to the task in hand.

"It must have something to do with the relationship between Lily and James, but the more I see of their interaction with Snape, the more I think that must be part of it. His younger self reminds me of you actually" she told him, smiling bashfully.

"Hermione.."he began "I need your help, only you can save me" he whispered, noticing his hands still hadn't let her go. He leaned in and heard her sharp intake of breath. Touching his forehead to hers, he sighed "I don't want to do this."

She squeezed his shoulder "Then we need to work out what the charm does, why we are here and how we can get back" she quietly told him, before carefully extracting herself from his grip and turning in her seat.

Draco watched her as her attention went back to the book. She chewed on her lip as she read and he felt his arousal build. It always unnerved him how her little actions that showed her concentration made him feel, or the little sighs and moans she made when she worked on the tension that built in her neck from being hunched over texts. He was supposed to hate this witch and her kind, but how could he? Confusion was a familiar feeling to him these days, he mused. He had been taught he shouldn't be able to feel this way for anyone who wasn't pure. But here was the rub, sat next to him was a witch who was pure. Hermione was pure in every way except for her muddy blood. He thought back to Snape and the forgiveness he sought, the way he had been berated by James and the things his Father had told him about Potter's parents. Hermione had no idea how right she had been about he and Snape being alike. The only thing Snape could have called her that required forgiveness was the same slur he had once used himself. One look at the boy told Draco all he needed to know.

He too had fallen for his Mudblood.


	11. Chapter 11

Sitting in front of the fire in the head boy and girls common room, Hermione tried to make sense of what she had found out. Draco watched her intently as she chewed her bottom lip, staring into the flames.

"What I can't work out if why here, why this timeline?" she murmured.

"I think it has something to do with Snape" Draco told her, averting her eyes as she whipped her head round to face him.

"What makes you say that?" she asked, furrowing her brow with confusion.

"Because of the way he feels about Lily"

Hermione screwed up her face. "But what has that got to do with us?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

Draco sighed, still refusing to meet her gaze. "The spell says we are to become lovers. He was in love with her"

Hermione shook her head "But that's ridiculous, you aren't in love with me"

He let out a low chuckle, a smirk forming on his lips "Are you really that oblivious, I thought you were the 'Brightest Witch of Our Age'?" he muttered sarcastically.

Hermione's eyes widened "I…..don't…..what?"

Turning to face her, his hand coming up to her chin, she suddenly realised how close they were sitting on the floor.

"But any time we touch you flinch" she whispered.

"Any time we touch I feel tingling course through my veins. You make me feel weak and vulnerable and on fire, Granger" he whispered, pulling her chin until her lips were a hair's breadth from his own. His confession hung in the air between them.

She leant into him, her lips grazing his and she let out a little sigh. His hands came into her hair as he deepened the kiss and she moaned into his mouth. Losing her senses they were soon divested of their clothes, a tangle of limbs, sighing and groaning in the light of the fire. Her body felt on fire as he plunged into her molten core, drinking him in. He surged forward, encouraged by her keening cries until with a flash of white behind his eyes he found his release.

Something passed between them as they looked into each other's eyes and his whole world shifted. He knew then what he had to do. For her sake he would turn himself into the Order and not carry out the deed the Dark Lord had ordered him to perform. He knew the window of opportunity would be limited but Granger would fight for him as fiercely as she had fought for her friends. She cupped his cheek and he took hold of her wrist, kissing the inside. They lay curled together before drifting off to sleep.

White light burned until he opened his eyes and he reached instinctively for Hermione. Opening his eyes he found himself alone on the floor. He called out for her and received no answer. Panicked now he pulled on his clothes, searching the room before stepping out into the corridor. Recognising passing faces, he stumbled back, shocked, realisation dawning.

Returning to the room, he searched for a sign and found none save the diary, open on the floor, six words written across the page, causing his heart to flutter in his chest:

Trust Hermione, she will save you.

He knew no matter what, there would be no turning back. He would find her, he would tell her and she would save him.

FIN


End file.
